Woodworking accessory



June 17, 1958 F. D. VALlCENTl WOODWORKING ACCESSORY Filed March 15. 1956 INVENTOR ILZBIAN D; Manes/v11 BY f W ATTORNEY United States Patent WOODWORKING ACCESSORY Fabian D. Valicenti, Sharon, Pa.

Application March 15, 1956, Serial No. 571,801

1 Claim. (Cl. 143-51) The present invention relates to woodworking apparatus and more particularly to an improved safety device for feeding workpieces to power driven tools, such as power saws, jointers, and the like. Such power driven woodworking tools are commonly owned and operated by comparative amateurs not having experience or skill in the use of such machines, and this has resulted in a great many injuries to the hands and fingers of the operators as such machines usually comprise whirling or rotating blades, knives or the like toward or over which the operator pushes the piece of wood being worked. In the case of an accidental slip resulting from a soft spot in the wood or other fault, the operators hands may be carried into the blades, knives or the like, resulting in at least severe cuts and lacerations. The chances of injury are also especially prevalent when the stock being worked is of very small width or is very thin since then the hands of the operator are brought into close proximity with the blades, knives or the like. it is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved safety guide for use with power driven woodworking tools which substantially mitigates any chance of injury to the operator of such equipment even though he be relatively unskilled in the use thereof and the material being worked is of small width or is thin. I provide a safety device which positions both hands of the operator completely above and out of any possible contact with the sharp rotating members of the power equipment In this manner, even though accidental slips do occur, the hands are not mutilated or damaged thus substantimly rendering power driven woodworking tools safe even for amateur and unskilled operators.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device for use with power driven woodworking tools which when used with such equipment results in a more acceptable final product. The bearing surface of the device of the invention on the piece of stock being worked is quite large and this allows a fairly equal distribution of holding force over the face of the workpiece, at least to a much greater extent than possible with the hands of the user bearing directly against the workpiece, and the application of the force to the points adjacent the revolving or rotating member of the machine where it is needed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety guide having improved means to detachably secure the same to the surface of a workpiece.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved safety guide for use with power driven woodworking equipment which is of the utmost simplicity in construction whereby it may be easily and economically manufactured. The construction is such, however, that if desired the same may be combined with level indicators to form a carpenters level.

These as Well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed specification and ac- 2,839,100 Patented June 17, 1958 companying drawing wherein is disclosed and shown. a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a safety guide and level indicator constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus depicted in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the section line IIII1I of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the safety guide and level indicator of Figure 1 being used with a power driven saw. 7

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates generally the new and novel safety guide and level indicator of my invention which comprises longitudinally extending top and bottom portions 11 and 12, respectively. The top portion 11 serves as a handle for the apparatus while the bottom portion 12 is adapted to bear against a face of a piece of wood being worked. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the top and bottom portions are normally joined to each other by the countersunk screws 13 and 14 so that these two portions form a rigid and unitary assembly.

The top portion 11 of the assembly is formed with a relatively wide top 15 which serves as a hand grip for the operator. The cross section of the apparatus substantially decreases underneath the hand grip 15 to define a Web 16 having a pair of elongated apertures 17 and 18 therein which allow easygripping of the hand grip 15 as is readily apparent. In addition, the web portion 16 is formed with a further longitudinally extending opening 19 and a vertical opening 20 which are provided for the incorporation of spirit levels. In each of the spirit levels a glass tube 21, partially filled with spirits of wine, ether, or some similar fluid and a leveling bulb 22 and hermetically sealed, is supported in proper orientation in its respective opening 19 or 20. In practice, proper reference indicia will be provided on the face of the glass tubes 21 for ease of reading. Below the web portion 16 the cross section increases to form a rib 23 on each side of the apparatus as seen in Figure 2 of the drawing. Beneath the ribs 23 the upper portion 11 of the apparatus decreases as at 24 and then increases at 25 to provide a large bottom meeting surface for the bottom portion 12 of the apparatus. I

The bottom portion 12 of the safety guide is of the same width as the hand grip 1S, ribs 23, and mounting area 25, but has the ear portions 26 and 27 which extend horizontally of the upper portion 11. The arrangement is such that the bottom surface of the portion 12 is relatively large and adapted to rest against a face of the piece of stock being worked. It is noted from the end view, Figure 2, that the cross section of the assembled safety guide and level indicator is generally in the form of an I-beam which is especially well adapted for ease of handling and manufacturing.

The bottom portion 12 of the apparatus is tapped at various points throughout its length and received in these tappings are special sharp pointed screws 28. As shown in Figure 3, each of the screws 28 are countersunk so that the top and bottom portions 11 and 12, respectively, of the apparatus can be securely joined to each other. The screws 28 have elongated and sharp points 29 which extend below the surface of the bottom portion 12 and are adapted to engage a piece of wood or other material being worked. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, seven of such screws are shown, having their points 29 protruding from the bottom face of the apparatus but it should be understood that any expedient and desired number may be used.

engaged by the points 29 of the sharp pointed screws 28 with the operator holding the apparatus by the hand grip 15 in the manner shown. Any movement of the apparatus will demand a like movement on the part of the workpiece 33 upon the suitable'applicationof pressure. The workpiece can then be guided past the saw blade 31 so that the wood is severed asdesired. The operators hands '34 are at all times a substantial distance abovethe saw blade 31 and it is practically impossible for; them toslip into contact with the blade 31.. Forthe removal of apparatus the same need only be lifted from the workpiece after cutting operations are completed;

The device of the present invention is well adapted for the handling of wood workpieces having a relatively small width or thickness as the hands of the user are always positioned a substantial distance above the blade of the 7 power saw 30. Although most power devices are equipped with a safety device, such as the spring loaded guard 35 on the power saw 30, these devices do not adequately protect the hands of the user. In fact, only one hand is behind the safety device during sawing operations and the degree of safety afforded rapidly decreases asthe width of the Wood being worked is decreased.

It should be understood the device is equally applicable to other types of Woodworking'toolsn As an example, in a jointer the material is pushed across circular cutters that revolve at a high rate of speed and the above discussed safety problems associated with such machines are mitigated by the use of the apparatus of my invention.

It should thus be apparent that I have accomplished vantageous point without fear of; the operator for the safety of his hands.

Since many changes may be made in the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention, reference should be had to the following appended claim in determiningthe full coverage of the invention. e

I claim: a

A safety device for feeding workpieces to power driven woodworking tools and the like comprising an upper rigid elongated member providing a hand grip portion, a lower The safety guide and level indicator of my invention may be made from any suitable material, such as aluminum or wood, for example, and may be of such size to conveniently handle the workpieces being .worked. In

addition, the guide and indicator may be used with ma-,

terials other than wood which are relatively soft and where the impressions of the sharp points 29 of the screws 28 are not objectionable. A

As shown in the drawing, the bottom face of the lower portion 25 of the upper member 11 lies in a single plane thus constituting a straight-edge while the upper and and parallel. One of the spirit levels 21 is permanently fixed in parallel relation with these faces while the other spirit level is oriented at right angles thereto. It is.

. downwardly of the'lower faceof said lower member, each rigid elongated rail-like member detachably securedrlongitudinally to the bottom edge ofsaid first-mentioned member, said rail-like member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and vertically 'disposedapertures therein, and a tine secured in each of isaid'apertures and having a. pointed end projecting a predetermined fixed distance of said apertures comprising a threaded lower portion and a counterbored upper portion with a shoulder there lower faces of the rail-like lower member 12 are straight i therefore possible to alternatively use the assembly of my invention as a carpenters level for indicating either horiknown uniform cross section under the rail 12 as a level-.

ing bar.

between, and each of said tines comprising a headed screw received in its bore with the headthereof engaging the shoulder of its bore to thereby'predetermine the extent of 101,773 Sharp u Apr. .12, 1870 686,339 Ritchie ;NOV. 12,1901 1,072,401 0mm Sept. 2, 1913 2,410,467 Valentine Nov. 5, 1946 2,522,965 Schufelberger Sept. 19 1950 2 ,679,868 Johnson June 1, 1954 2,681,671 Norris June 22, 1954 2,696,852

Dunton Dec. 14, 1954 

